We Believe In Ghana's Youth
Dolly foundation Ghana on Wednesday 8th March, 2017 officially launched the Project themed ‘WE BELIEVE IN GHANA’s YOUTH’ which is a 6-month innovation and entrepreneurship tour on various college and university campuses across Ghana. The project kicked started with University of Ghana, Legon. It was held in the auditorium of the Law School. The program started at 2pm and ended at 4pm. It began with an introductory speech by Ama Serwaa Sarkodie-Mensah, the co-founder of Dolly foundation and Kafui Quashigah, the President of The Law School Union. Laura Penny and Frederick Dadzie took over the stage with an interactive 30 minutes’ session with the 150 students present where they engaged the students in groups of five to come up with innovate ways to make a paper plane and ensure it flies. I believe this was the highlight of their talk as all the students were actively engaged and excited to learn that innovation and entrepreneurship does not have to be a grandiose idea, it could be a simple idea done in a completely different way.
The second speaker was Evans Hokey, an entrepreneur himself, who gave a practical example of himself, how he started his companies and some of the problems he faced as such. He inspired the students and encouraged them to be as innovative as possible and start something even if it ends up failing to avoid relying on the scarce jobs available after school. After the first two sessions, we had a law student perform an interlude where he sang two songs and thus proved that even as a law student he’s developing his skill of singing. This is the ultimate sign of entrepreneurship. The last two speakers were Dieu-Donne Gameli and Joshua Kobla spoke shortly about their various organizations. Dieu-Donne gave a technical insight into innovation whilst Joshua educated the students about how they can be active participants in ensuring the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) are achieved by 2030. Joshua also informed them that they can play an active role in the Global Goals through social media as well. He also made the linkage between innovation/entrepreneurship and the Global Goals.
OUTLINE OF PROGRAM
The program was held to empower, inspire and encourage the youth to develop, grow and feed ideas, skills, innovations they might have to better themselves and their communities. We contributed our quota to the Sustainable Development Goal 9, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. As the youth are the grassroots to the future generation, we believe they must be empowered to tackle problems, bring out ideas, work together to form organizations and small companies and businesses, rather than relying on the imaginative jobs they are told exist after school.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM
• Help students to view the world out there outside the sphere of school
• Help you fulfill your potential through effective leadership skills training in areas like: team building, strategic planning, decision making and more.
• Teach valuable insights, proven to work in a “real world” environment.
• Promote high standards of professional conduct particularly in the development and implementation of education policy and practices impacting all stakeholders.
• Inspire and motive students to innovate and come up with ideas geared towards improving their lives and the lives of others
• Encourage students to understand that success and fulfillment can be achieved before graduation
We had 4 speakers from various institutions coming over to speak briefly for a time limit of about 30 minutes about their opinions and working experience on how to progress and have a mindset of leadership, entrepreneurship, professionalism, innovation and most important law. Speakers included:
1. Evans Hokey-C.E.O. of UG Consult and Krinotech Solutions
2. Dieu-Donne Gameli- Executive of Innovate Ghana
3. Laura Penny and Frederick Dadzie- EQWIP HUBs Ghana
4. Joshua Kobla Adzakpa –World Merit Ghana
The program was a successful one as we had students walk up to us after the program with more questions and show interest in taking a step and achieving something innovative. Dolly Foundation in partnership with these various organizations impacted the lives of over 150 students form the University of Ghana, Legon. The program saw the likes of students from the pharmacy, law, business administration, psychology, biochemistry and other departments.